A bump in the road
by Anonemity
Summary: Sequel to Proving him wrong. Tristan is sent away. Don't worry, still a Trory. Oh, and a new friend will join the gang, so I hope you aren't opposed to Australia. Yes I just gave it away. I live for your R&Rs! Rating may change later, who knows?
1. Unsettling news

**Alright people, here we go:**

**I don't own Gilmore girls or anything like it, and I think I forgot to write that last time. I didn't own it then either.**

**BTW I have enables anynonymous comments now, so there is nolonger an excuse!**

**

* * *

**  
"Happy anniversary, Mary" He held out a small box. Rory's eyes widened in glee.  
"No kidding?" she laughed. "How long would that be?"  
"Four months, and don't act like you didn't know." she snapped her fingers.  
"Curses, foiled again." she reached into her yellow bag and pulled out a wrapped book. It wasn't wrapped very well; the paper bunched in some places and didn't cover all of the book. The page edges could be seen from one corner, and the amount of tape she had used could hold a man captive for days. Alright, 'very well' might not be the best word. Mabe 'atrocity.'  
"Aww, thanks Mare, you got me a gift wrapper's suicide."  
"Hey! At least it's a better job than my mom did, that might have sent you into medical shock." He raised an eyebrow at her.  
"Open it!" she said, excitedly, and he carefully tore through the easier parts of the wrapping.  
"The Canterbury Tales?" he inquired.  
"Trust me, you'll love it. My turn!" She made a show of opening the box carefully. Lifting the lid carefully, she made a ta da! movement with her arms. "Boat tickets?"  
"How would you feel about spending Spring break on Martha's Vineyard with me?"  
"I don't know, you'd have to ask me to, and find out." She kissed him and he smiled.  
"I'll take that as a yes."

--

Two days later and they were on the yacht, with their bags packed and nothing to do for a week. Tristan's grandfather was letting them use his summer house, so they had everything they needed for the next seven days.  
They arrived at the house engaged in blissful meaningless chatter. The past few month's had been almost unrealistically happy, and Rory was falling harder and harder for the guy she once dreaded seeing.

House? Rory asked herself sarcastically. More like mansion. Not only did it have a spacious yet cozy wooden interior, but a pool in the back. Anyone would have killed to live here, and the knowledge of how little the summer house was used both amused her and filled her with mild indignance.

"You know, there are starving children in the world, who would sell their sould for a pair of shoes."

"What?" Tristan asked, not catcihng the connection.

"Nevermind," she said happily, and flitted through the house. She arrived back at the pool to a smiling Tristan. He almost never smirked now. His smiles were all genuine, a fact betrayed by his dimples, and the way his eyes lit up.

"You know? We should go swimming." he suggested.

If she wasn't already grinning from ear to ear, she would have."Why Tristan DuGrey, I think you're just trying to get me into a bathing suit."

"Ouch, Mary, you see right through me."And then the phone rang.

--

"I can't believe this." she said. Tristan wiped a tear from her face and kissed her again.  
"Military school! What were they thinking?" Tristan remained silent; he was still procesing the information.  
"My father is going to Europe." he said after a long pause, trying to decipher the reasoning behind the situation. "There was no where else to send me." At this Rory snorted.  
"There is _always_ somewhere. For all I care you could stay with Paris. Just don't leave." a fresh wave of tears came on, and he just sat there with her on the bed. There was really nothing else to do, once his father had spoken, his word was law. He held her helplessly, his mind filled with dark thoughts.

* * *

**Oh, silly readers, did you think Tristan would actually escape the harsh reality that is the military system? Never. Rest assured it will all end well, as I have a plan. And a character.**

** Alas, you won't meet him until chapter 3.**

**Please respond; your words are a sweet elixer to my thoughts.  
**


	2. G I Tristan

They spent the day floating in the pool, barely speaking to eachother. Their own thoughts wrapped around and consumed them. At dinner, however, Rory finally lost the firm control over her composure.

They had gone out to a small restaurant; Rory had ordered the most eclectic item on the menu, and Tristan had ordered french fries.

"I don't do fish!" he defended, and Rory took a big bite from her rather questionable looking plate.

"Mmm," she said, squinting a little with the effort of keeping a straight face. Tristan burst out laughing.

"Want to share?" she asked, indicating his fries.

"They'll ruin you!" she burst out unexpectedly, absently taking a fry.

"Mary," he started, but she cut him off. She was on a rant now, and nothing was going to stop the flow flow of her anger.

"They will take you into their militant camp, and turn you into a robot. Robot! You'll have a gun squad, did you know that? I've seen Cadet Kelly, I know how it is!" People were staring now. "Do you know what they'll do? They'll make you wake up at 2 in the morning and recite things. You'll wear perfunctory clothes and do perfunctory things, and when you come out you'll be G-I-Tristan!"

" Excuse me miss, but I'll have to ask you to lower your voice." a waitress came up to the table politely, but Rory would not be muted.

"I'll lower my voice when my boyfriend isn'y being sent to Jail School!" she bratted, and the waitresses voice became shrill.

"Ma'am, if you do not lower your voice--"

"--I don't love G-I-Tristan. I love you." she directed once again at Tristan. Her voice was now soft, and the waitress stood uncertainly, not knowing whether or not it was safe to leave.

"We'll take a check, please." Tristan said, unable to take his eyes off Rory. This was the first admission of love since his own back at Chilton.

"Mary," he said as they left the restaurant, "I'm not going to change. I swear."

"When will you be back?" she asked, her eyes misting. He said nothing. What could he say? He didn't know when he would be back, and he wouldn't until he spoke with his father. His mouth formed a grim line at the ominous thought.

They drove back to house, the impending confrontation with his father dearest hovering in the air above.

* * *

**Short chapters, I know, and I apologise. My last story was mostly finished by the time the three day waiting period was over, but this one is pretty much from scratch.**

**This means your thoughts and suggestions can be taken into account though, so there is a plus to this. Please leave them in that little friendly purple box down there;**

**Your compliments and critisism drive my creation. **


	3. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

**Welcome to Redding Military Acadamy of North Carolina**

Tristan read the sign with some apprehension. His father grabbed his arm firmly and guided him through the square metal doors.

The previous night had been a disaster. After Rory and he had returned from the Cape, he had rushed home to confront his dad, only to find him missing. A social party in uptown Hartford, his mother had informed him. She refused to say anything on the subject of Military school, and he had stormed out of the house in a blind rage. He knew where the party was; he'd gotten an embossed invitation himself.

When he arrived he pushed through the double doors himself, not waiting for the doorman. He spotted his father shmoozing with several high class ladies, all done up in finery for the event. He stepped through them rudely, scandalizing them in a single step.

"Dad," he said through gritted teeth, "We need to talk. Now."

"Ah, Tristan, so good of you to join us. Have you met--"

"Dad! Unless you want to explain to me right here why you are sending me away, we need to leave!" several bystanders tittered at the unseemly volume of his voice. He wasn't even properly dressed--he wore blue jeans and a t shirt.

Mr. DuGrey cleared his throat. "I must apologize, ladies, but it seems our discussions must wait for another night. Come on, Tristan." They left the guests to a riot of gossip and rumor, and drove off.

-

"Dad, what's going on?" Tristan demanded in the car.

"Don't you ever embarass me like that again! Clearly several months at the acadamy will so you some good."

"I'm not going to an acadamy. I'm staying at Chilton."

"You will do as I say." he paused. "Your mother and I have some business to attend to in Europe, and unfortunately there is no where else for you to go."

"I can stay any where, dad, I can even stay at a hotel! Let me stay in Hartford. Please." Tristan tried for the passive approach, allowing his voice to take on a wheedling note. Alas, it was to no avail.

"That's enough! I refuse to have my word questioned and as such you will attend this school whether you want to or not!" his father roared, and Tristan sat back in his seat; fuming.

-

Now as he passed through the doors of his new school and home, Tristan had given up the idea of escape. He had only an hour to pack nefore his family had flown him by private jet to North Carolina, and he hadn't even said goodbye to anyone yet.

The lobby of the building was stark and orderly. The actual room itself was cavernous, and there was one small dest at the far end of the room. A man in full uniform sat behind it, staring straight ahead.

While Tristan's father signed him in, he pulled out his cell phone and tried Rory's number. No answer. He called her house and after what felt like a thousand rings, someone picked up.

"Hello, Luigi's pizzaria, what can I do for you?"

"Um...Ms. Gilmore?"

"Bible boy! Nice to hear from you. I take it you havent had your brain removed yet?"

"Uh--no. Is Rory there?"

"Sorry, you just missed her. Well actually if you called an hour ago you would have just missed her. Paris called an emergency meeting for the paper. How are ya, kid?"

"As good as I can be, I guess. My father is signing me in now."

"Well, I'll tell her you called." he could tell her voice was full of sympathy.

"Actually, I don't think I'll be able to use this phone much longer. Can you tell her I said goodbye?"

"Sure thing, dude." part of him smiled at that. Dude.

"I emailed Richard with the adress, if she wants to write me. Tell her to send me stamps. I didn't get the chance to pick some up."

"Sure thing."

"Okay..." he lingered on the line a moment; his last connection to the real world. "Bye."

* * *

**Aint life just peachy keen?**

**Thoughts please, they make me much happier than this "1024 hits, 6 reviews" business. **


	4. A new face arrives

"My God, those are absolutely gorgeous genes." the accented speaker marched up to Rory, who had just barely managed to muscle her locker door open. She turned to see a guy stop in front of her, and reach forward to cup her chin.

"Lovely blue eyes, alabaster skin, an unassuming demeanor. Love, if I were an artist I would name you my muse."

"Hello..." Rory introduced herself, a little perplexed as to who this forward young man was. "I'm Rory."

"Ro...ry." he repeated, with a small frown. "Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, now does it?"

"Hey! You don't even know me!" she protested, and slammed her locker shut in annoyance. Then she stared at it. "Aargh!" she groaned. She hadn't gotten her books out yet.

"Well you keep distracting me. It's very rude, darling." he tapped his foot at her while she struggled once again with her locker door. "Allow me." he said, and she stepped back to let him do the job.

After a moment of struggling, though, he stepped back as well.

"Well that tears it, the thing's obviously possessed.

"Thanks, that was soo, helpful." she rolled her eyes and tried her combination again.

"Well that's not very polite either, now is it? You miss, are ignoring me. You have deamed that piece of scrap metal more important, and you don't yet know my name."

"What's you name?" she asked again, still preoccupied with trying to wedge open the door.

"Well I don't know if I want to tell you now." he sniffed.

"Fine." Rory gave up as the bell rang. "I'm late anyways." she strode away, but the boy followed her.

"What? I'm going this way." he said innocently, and Rory smiled.

"Look, I'm sorry I'm being rude. I've had a really bad few days."

"No matter, it happens to the best of you people." he said.

-

They apparently had the same class, and tjust barely made role call.

"Lorelai Gilmore!"

"Present," Rory said, and the guy glared over at her.

"Lorelai? Why didn't you tell me that was your name? Flows far better than 'Rory' anyways."

"And who might you be?" the teacher asked.

"Call me Finn. New student." he snarked, buffing his fingernails on the hem of his uniform, and plopped himself down in the nearest seat. Rory sat down quietly next to him, and took out her notes.

-

"Lorelorelorelailalai, I'm terribly lost on all this dreary scholastic boredome, might you catch me up? Say, after school, say, now?"

"I live in Stars Hollow." Rory warned, but he didn't seem to quite understand.

"Fantastic! I shall give you a ride."

His car was as nice as Tristan's; even nicer.

"Is this a Mazarati?" Rory asked in awe, and Finn shrugged.

"It's me dad's car. He hasn't trusted me with my own since Finn Car number...three."

"But he trusts you with his own?" she pressed.

"As long as I don't tell him."

"Well this Finn, it will be my pleasure." Rory said, an evil glint in her eye. Her town would tear him apart.

"Knew it, no one can resist my drunken charm. Right then, onward, march!" and they sped off.


	5. Mate's

"Oh, my brain hurts!" Finn whined. Rory tried again.

"It's really not that hard, Finn. Here. See, differentiability implies continuity, but not the other way around, such as with a hole. In a hole graph, also called a removable discontinuity, it's continuous but not differentiable. Get it?"

"The only thing I get is that I am going to flunk out of Chilton. Why is conneticut so smart?" He buried his head in his arms.

"This isn't conneticut. It's calculus; you _must_ have had that in Australia. Calculus is everywhere. It's like boybands." he gave her a pained look.

"If you're trying to make me feel better, you're doing a bloody bodgy job of it."

"That's it, I need Luke's." Rory closed her book in a small explosion of dust and eraser shavings.

"You need some whats?"

"Luke's is a diner, trust me, you have never had better coffee."

"Ah, ace then! I haven't have a decent smoko since I arrived here. You are my new God!" he went to throw his arms in the air and then stopped.

"Waste of effort, you get the point. Shall we go?"

-

"Hey Rory, how are...things?" Luke asked carefully, not wanting to upset the girl who was like a daughter to him. He was obviously not comfortable playing this role, but the fact that he did anyway spoke volumes to Rory, and she was touched.

"I miss him." she replied simply.

The whole town had recently been even nicer to her than usual. Thanks to Miss Patty and co., news of Tristan had spread like wildfire, and news of his quaranteen even fater than that. Without saying anything, suddenly coffee was free, movies were free, ice cream was free. Kirk kept offering her one of his stress relieving foot massages, though she turned him down. Luke, however, had not only become less gruff around her, he had become more protective. Suddenly no boys were good enough to talk to her.

Dean had also approached her the other day. He had stated in simple terms that although he couldn't be friends with her, he recodnized that Tristan had been important. It had been four months, after all. He told her that he was sorry for her situation, despite his bitterness. Rory had though that was about the sweetest thing she had ever heard.

Luke, however, had gone into a rage, and had practically bodily thrown him off the curb.

Finn stood awkwardly a moment before taking control of the situation.  
"Allo there good sir, two fantastically large cups of your coffiest coffee. Oh and, mate's rate if you don't mind." Luke stood a moment, trying to work through the quickly spoken dialect.

"He's asking for a discount, becuase he's a friend." Rory supplemented.

"I--I, I don't know you!" Luke said forcefully, and slammed the coffee pot back on the tray. "Rory, who is this guy?"

"Easy does it then, I'm not a bloody wacker." Finn threw a twenty on the counter. "Coming, love?"

Luke glared at him as they left.

-

Their final destination of choice was the gazeebo. Empty, quiet, good.

"So Lorelailelailelai, tell me what has happened to you to make you spit the dummy?"

She glanced at him in in confusion.

"Why are you so upset?" he clarified. "The whole world is acting as if someone died."

Rory took a deep breath, searching fo rthe right collection of words to convey her thoughts.

"Good God, someone died." Finn looked for a way out of the conversation--tragedy wasn't one of his strong points.

"No, nothing like that. My boyfriend was sent away to military school, in North Carolina. we were pretty serious, you know, said the L word and everything."

Finn made a low whistle. "That bytes, but think of it this way. My God, you are the most well known girl I have ever met. Every student in Chilton was throwing you looks of sympathy."

"No," Rory laughed sadly, "That was him. He was like a King to them, so they knew me by assosiation."

"Sounds like a fine bloke. Have you kept in touch?"

"We write every night. I guess I should get home and start writing soon."

"Then I think I'll get home, I have a great many important things to do."

"Calc?"

"Sparknotes. Amazing invention! I swear to never read another word of Dickens again!" He walked her home, stepped into his eye catching car, and sped off miles above the limit. Taylor would have an apoplectic attack if he saw. Rory opened her ever unlocked door, and stepped into the warm comfort of her

_I can't believe how much I told him. He's been here what, ten minutes?_ Rory shook her head and smiled to herself, glad to have this new, albeit eccentric friend.

_Tristan,_

_How's life on the other side? Any new boyfriends I should be worried about?_

_Wow, the prison joke is getting pretty old._

_Made a new friend, his name is Finn. He's from Australia, but I think that's just a cover. There's no way hes from this planet. Chilton is going crazy. It's like a snake with no head. Every student here bombards me with questions daily, and I am running out of ammunition._

_Life isn't the same without you here. Do you get visitors?_

_I love you_

_Rory_

_

* * *

_**I think next chapter will be a Tristan chapter. **

**Hey, I know why people who write these things beg for reviews now.**

**If you've never written, you have no idea. I'll fill you in:**

** -**

**We fic writers are actually just attention starved shells who enjoy using a pen. We crave your approval, and respect your critisism. Honestly, if we were writing only for our own amusement, why would we post it on the internet?**

**A review is like a drug to us. We find ourself checking the stat page religiously, wondering, has my review count gone up at all? Even by one? How about now?**

**It is sick, it is twisted, and it cannot be healthy. However, just by leaving a 'yay' or 'nay' in the comment box, you actually improve our day. Not just by a little, either. You fill us with an overpowering sense of euphoria, and we start grinning like a bunch of idiots and rush off to write another chapter.**

**-**

**I'm not just begging for comments, I'm leaving a freaking "please feed the animal" sign.**

**:-) **_  
_


	6. Maggot musings

"Up, ladies, rise and shine!" the squad captain shounted directly in Tristan's ear.

"Easy, easey, I'm coming." he grumbled. The instinctive defiance did not passed unnoticed.

"Are you challenging my authority, maggot?" he thundered, and Tristan sighed.

"Tell me," he said, ignoring the question, "Do you enjoy waking up so early that you have time for shower and get dressed before waking up all of us?" The entire bunker became quiet, though not so quiet that the boys could be accused of eavesdropping.

Sir Jameson puffed up his chest in answer, ad marched off. Tristan rolled his eyes.

Life at Redding had not been easy. The guys here were never satisfied to simply coexist with Tristan, they instead felt the distinct need to classify him. Ever since his arrival, men of all ranks had been sizing him up. Was he weak? Strong? Did he pose a threat to them? The captain had the most trouble, becuase Tristan made sure to neither challenge nor accept his authority. It was a small self amusement in the grey world in which he was spending the months.

The truth of the matter was that Tristan really didn't care about any of it. His old self would have taken on the challenge of ruling the school, but somehow now it seemed so pointless, and, for lack of a better word..._silly._ He did the drills as he was ordered, he woke up early as he was commanded, and he rant he required obstacle courses.

That, however, was the height of his involvement in the acadamy. He spent his free time writing to Rory and Chilton friends, and reading his newest possession; the Canterbury Tales. He read it over and over, smiling at the though that this book reminded Rory of him. She had been right. He avoided confrontations with his new peers at all costs--the last thing he wanted was to earn more responsibilities at this dank, nightmarish place.

Camping trips and 20 mile runs had no effect on him. He though the idea of purposeful, honorable discomfort to be absolutely asinine, and made no effort to hide it. This was made painfully clear the first time a teacher adressed him in class.

"Will you vow to take a life of honor, in not reaching for what you, maggot, do not deserve?"

Tristan had sat back in his chair and smirked' this answer was easy.

"Sir, in capitalist modern times, the honest man strives only towards his greedy tendencies; his psychological id, if you would. To do otherwise would be rediculous, as it would contradict the very foundations of our country's success. It would be moving backwards. I will not move backwards. Furthermore, we live in a corporate, capitalist nation. To limit the persuit of property follows not the capitalist principals, but communist ones. Seargent, are you promoting communism?"

It had been several months since this first incident, but the officers and squadrom leaders had not yet given up on thrying to place Tristan. They seemed equally determined to include him in their society as he was to remain apart from it.

The one bright part of his days were the ones when Rory's letters arrived.

Today he opened it and smiled as he read. Then he let out a small wistful sigh. _I guess I won't be meeting Finn for a while._ Against his will, he felt a small twinge of jealousy for the boy, free to see Rory every day. He hoped Finn would keep her distracted enough to avoid the contemplative misery that was his new life. He took out a precious pieve of paper and envelope, and began his response.

* * *

"Be. Still. My. Heart." Finn voiced, and Rory watched his eyes follow the girl who had just entered the room. 

"A gorgeous blond beauty, with a glint in her eye and a purposeful stride." he expatiated, and Rory snickered.

"_Paris?"_ she said incredulously. "You can't be serious." Finn only gazed at Peris and smiled. After a moment Paris felt the eyes on her neck, and walked over to them.

"Gilmore," she greeted in a cool voice. "You're last article. It wasn't crap." Rory nodded her haid dubiously.

"Thank you, Paris."

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to let your misinformed friend ogle me like a piece of meet."

"Allo there, the name's Finn." he introduced himself, and held out his hand. She looked at it and sniffed. Then she turned her attention away.

"Gilmore, keep your dog on a leash." With that, she returned to her desk, her eyes fixed on the front of the room.

"Oh, the fire! The passion! That has got to be the most amazing sheila I have ever met." Rory shook her head and sighed.

"Really, Finn. _Paris?_" He simply smiled at her and turned to face the teacher.

"Today, class, we migrate from early Mesopotamia to the later era of the early grecians..."

* * *

**Ah, now the question must be asked. Does Finn actually have a crush on our little ol' Paris? Or does he unconditionally love all girls? With Lane and...MISS PATTY this could be potentially very fun.**

**I have another plan for him regardless of this fact; just wondering what your thoughts are.**

**And don't worry, Tristan will come back soon! Let's set the plan in motion in the next, say...two chapters?**

**I'll try to update them at the same time. **


	7. Brood, baby, brood

_Mary,_

_I figured you might get a kick out of this: Some kid asked where I was from this mornin, and I told him Switzerland. I think he actually bought it, becuase he went and asked our captain what language they speack over there. I have never worked so hard not to laugh in my life. Anyway I am officially labeling that as the good news portion of the letter, not that it really fits the title._

_Mare, I got a call from my fahter this morning. He says he got a great client and an 'opportunity to further the growth of the company', so he's staying in Europe for a while longer. Like, a lot longer. He says he's leaving me here until I gruaduate and go to College._

_I have no idea what to say, except 'help!'. You're on the outside, you must have some way to reach him. Or something. So...please write back as soon as you can; I can't stay here for another year. It will _kill_ me._

_I miss you_

_I love you_

_Tristan_

_-_

Rory read the letter to herself, and felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomache. Say goodbye to Tristan for that long? Forever, even? The concept was inconcievable. She fell back onto her couch, and let her eyes fill with tears. It had been hard enough to live without him for this long. She had fun with Finn, yes, but it didn't even compare to the way she felt around Tristan.

Tristan filled her with mystery, safety, passion. His every burning touch reverbated throughout her entire body, and his kiss made her forget her surroundings. Tristan challenged her, something Dean never did, and comforted her, something Jess never could.

He was like magic. In his presence every problem fell away, and she was home. Tristan had filled a hole Rory was never even aware of in her heart. The thought of him being gone from her life, tearing open that gaping crevice in her soul, terrified Rory. She needed him to be there for her, to excite her, and to make her feel alive.

She knew she should be helping right now, that she should be compiling a list of possible solutions. Instead, she was crumples on her couch, sobbing like a child. A small part of her mind screamed at her to do something, but she was lost in her tears. She felt as if someone had put her on an airplane, taken her several thousand feet up, and told her politely that they were about to remove the floor of the plane.

It was this small part of her which was extremely grateful to hear a knock on the door. The noise shocked Rory back into the real world. After a moment spent drying her eyes, she went to open the door to the insistant knocker.

"Lorelalalai, I need your help this instant in a matter of dire importance." Finn swept past her dramatically, "I have just met my future wife, the girl of my dreams. Raven hair, exotic, captivating eyes, and a dares to be different attitude which has captured my heart!" it was only then that he turned around and saw Rory. Ashen, blotchy face, wet eyes, and sniffling nose.

"Hi Finn," she said, her voice still quavering ever so slightly. "I think you just met Lane."

"My dear, what's wrong? You look positively aweful, though I mean that in the best way possible. Did someboy drown you?"

"Finn, he's going to be gone forever." she said, her face contorting in anguish and a fresh bout of tears breaking free.

"I know it feels that way sometimes, love--"

"No, he really is." she handed him the letter. No explanation was needed, and he read it quickly with a small frown on his face. Then his brow softened with sympathy, and he held out his arms to her. She cried on his shoulder until she heard his next statement.

"Well of course, we're not going to allow this." his voice was so matter of fact that she pulled away, her eyes clearing momentarily.

"Finn--"

"Darling, don't you worry about it. You have on your side the most grousse con artist and plan thinker upper in the northern hemisphere. Trust me" she finally nodded and allowed a small smile, and he cleared his throat.

"Now then, tell me about beautiful, mysterious, rebellious, _Lane..._"

* * *

**Yes? Yes. I know, yes.**

**Silly, willy, not having a last name-y Finn...**

**Tristan and sad and all that and woah, I need less sugar.**

**Yes?**

**Yes.**

**I know, yes.**

**Please review!**

**Yes! **


	8. Real Stupid Chapter title

Rory ransacked both her and her mother's closet unitl she found the perfect items of clothing. Olive green cord jeans, a camo t shirt, and a dark green cap, under which she tucked her hair. She examined herself in the mirror critically, measuring her appearance.

"You look great" Lane answered her silent question. "No one will recognise you." she was similarly clad, and together they awaited the signal.

It was only a a minute before they heard the pebble hit Rory's window, and rushed downstairs. Finn met themr at the back door. He was clad in all black--black jeans, black turtleneck, black bandana around his eyes. He had constructed a makeshift thief mask from it, and looked like the villain in an old movie.

"Finn what are you wearing!" Rory asked in a strangled whisper.

"Me?" He countered, "It's not Halloween, Demi Moore. What, have you shaved your noggin, too?" she pulled off her hat, revealing her pony tail, and he sighed with relief. Then he turned his attention to Lane.

"Well allo there peach," he started, but Rory cut him off.

"We'll never get away with this," she warned, but he brushed her words away.

"Nonesense, Lalalai, I was born for this sort of thing. You just have to awken your inner sneaky." together the trio made their way to the front of the house. They moved swiftly to his car, but suddenly heard a car approach, the radio blasting. They made a run for his car, but not before the driver of the jeep noticed them.

"Bambino, what are you doing?" Rory's mom stepped out of the car and walked over to the now guilty looking group. "You look like an action figure. And who's the ninja?" she asked, and Rory searched frantically for an answer.

"Mom..."

Finn glanced over at Rory. "Lorelai, love, I dont mean to be rude, but I don't think you thought this all the way through." _I didn't think this through?_ Rory thought indignantly, _It was his plan!_ She was about to voice her objections when Lorelai spoke up.

"Well I guess introductions already happened," she said, a little surprised, "What would I do without you..." she tried hard to remember the name she was so sure she had been told. They all stood there a little awkwardly until Rory finally decided to clear the air.

"Mom, this is Finn. Finn, this is my mom, Lorelai." he tried to act unfazed, but confusion tinged his eyes. "That's why I go by Rory."

"Well that's...antiquated..." he said, still sorting the situation out in his mind.

"What did he just call me?" Lorelai protested, and warmed to her subject. "If dolphin boy wants to steal away my daughter in the middle of the night the least he can do is be polite about---why _are_ you stealing away my daughter in the middle of the night?"

"Hello Lorelai," Lane tried to change the subject, "where did you go out?"

"Ugh, Sookie made me double date. Lets just say I will never blow bubbles in my milk again." No one asked for embellishment on that one. "Now Ror, tell me what's going on."

There was no way out. "Tristan got a letter saying he's stuck in that school until he graduates, so Finn and I, uh, well... we'regoingtostealhimback." She said the confession quickly, as if she was tearing off a band aid. Unlike the reaction anticipated, however, Lorelai clapped her hands in delight.

"Ooh, a rescue! Can I help? Can I can I? Oh please, please, please, please, eighty three hours of labor, please, please?"

"Mom, you don't even remember the real number of hours anymore, do you?" Rory asked with some amusement.

"Of course I do, but it's harder to use against you. Please please please? You might need my grown up authority..." she begged, her eyes alight.

"Fine," Rory caved, "but we're not taking your car. It'd get stopped even if there wasn't a missing child alert. Lorelai squealed and ran over to the convertable.

"Shotgun!" she called audaciously, and soon they were off.

-

"What do I call you now?" Finn asked Rory as they drove, "Loralalailalailolailerai is already taken by this lovely doll sitting next to me." Lorelai beamed at the compliment.

"You could call me Rory," she suggested, but he rejected the idea.

"Oh! Call her Dimples!" Lorelai piped in, and Finn frowned.

"I never noticed her having dimples."

"They're not on her face." Lorelai said mischeviously, and Rory turned bright red.

"Mom!" she objected, but by then both people in the front seat were cracking up.

"I'm sorry Dimples, but it's such a corker it would be a crime to neglect it." Finn apologosed. Rory smiled and gave up.

-

"Sir!" Lorelai announced the group's presence with a bold authority. "Sir, I need you to do something for me right now." she spoke woth obnoxious fowardness, and the guard on duty snapped his head up.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"You have a boy enrolled here, and as his mother and legal guardian, I would like to un enroll him." The man leaned to the side and looked at the group of kids standing behind Lorelai. Rory and Lane in their camo, and Finn looking for all the world like swiper the fox.

"Snap snap!" Lorelai said, and almost as an afterthough, actually snapped her fingers.

"Do you have some sort of identification?" he asked her.

"No I do not! I am in a rush, and we have to rush back to Europe and visit his dying grandmother, and if I hear one more word against it you can be sure my lawyers will be contacted immediately. Now. Do we have a problem, or not?" she tapped her foot while he thought about this.

"Of course not, ma'am. What was his name?"

* * *

**So I wrote a chapter, and then hated it. Read it over and over, and over, and hated it even more, scrapped it, and changed it. Shortened it. Wooh.**

**However, I have three college essays to write, 5 trig functions to prove the derivative and derivative squared of, and a philosopher to analyze, so you all will just have to take what comes with a smile.**

**And with a review. Those are nice.**

**So I didn't get to start Finn's story, though I guess progress was made in the Trory department. Lane/Paris/Patty/Dean's new girlfriend/Finn will all come in die time. What? Was that me giving something awy? Never! **


	9. It's Cooba, not Cyooba

The return of Tristan Dugrey was big news in all parts of the school.

Friends and fans greeted him with enthusiastic delight. It was as if Christmas had arrived a week early. They asked him how his aweful adventure had been, and charged their gazes with awe and pity. Tristan tried his best to avoid these people. They were like the paparazzi--everywhere.

Teachers greeted him with an odd combination of pleased apprehension. However, this morphed into shocked relief when they realized that he participated in class now. It was this new thing he'd been trying, which he liked to call, "not getting my ass thrown back in military school."

Rory, Finn and Tristan had become a tight knit group, sometimes letting Paris tag along. They did everything together. Homework...party...well that was pretty much it. The point though, was that they did it together. Finn and Tristan hit it off right from the start.

Tristan recognized that although Finn seemed to have an unconditional affection for the entire female race, he was rarely serious in his exploits, and he would never touch another guy's girl. Finn made no effort to figure out Tristan. The fact of the matter was that Rory liked him, so he must have at least many redeeming qualities.

Tristan had only been back for less than a week. He was currently using his life savings to feed himself and had broken into his locked house. Having it to himself was both creepy and comfortable. He even spent time reading in his father's study, though not out of any affinity to him. It was more of a defiance. A thing he could never do if his father was home, so he did it now. He even tried a cigar, though it didn't work out so well.

"Yeah Mare, I agree with you. Paris is an idiot. I--" it was at this point that he fell into a violent fit of coughing, and put the cigar out on the polished surface of the mahogany desk. It left a burn mark. He didn't care.

"Tristan are you okay? Tristan?" Rory's voice came out of the phone, worry lacing her tone.

"Ye--eah, I'm fine." he cleared his throat. "I'll never be able to smoke cubans with colleages, but I'm fine." Her silvery laughter pealed, and he smiled. It was good to be home.

"Hello? Is someone there?" an accented voice called out through the halls of the house. "Master DuGrey? Did you come home early? I spoke with you just this morning." Crap. Eduardo had come to feed the cat, and apparently had smelled the cigar smoke from the hall.

"Sir?" The servant asked, and Tristan silently hung up the phone and moved toward the window. He was outside by the time the man entered the office, and, shrugging, left.

Tristan shivered in the icy December breeze, and flipped open his cell phone. He dialed Rory's number even as he ran to his car, ignoring the footsteps he left in the snow. More would cover it within the hour, it was starting to precipitate already.

"Hey, Mary?" he said, "I need somewhere to stay for a while."

* * *

**Yeah, so that was a little itty bitty bit of a chapter. A midgit. A runt. I mean come on, that bordered on titchy it was so pathetic. The next one is on the way, though. I'm over the writers block and now I have a plan.**

**I only stuck this one on now because I know I havent written anything at all in a pretty long time, and I wanted to let you all know I'm still alive.**

**Hello there.  
**


	10. Walking Up Stairs

_'I'm, dreaming, of a white, christmas, just like the ones, I used, to, know,' _

Finn snorted in disgust.

"Dimples, puhLEASE stop it with the dreadful Christmas music!" Rory scoffed.

"It's not bad, it's a classic!"

"It, sounds, like, he's, walking, up, stairs, while, he's, singing."

Rory lowered the volume, still mouthing along the words defiantly. Finn stole a cookie.

"Hey! Those are for the kids at the soup kitchen. It's part of the whole community service thing. Besides, it shows good will." Finn rolled his eyes.

"It would show equally as much good will if I sent them a bajillion dollars. Can't I just donate?"

"Not if you want to get into Harvard, buddy, now stir!"

Tristan came barelling through the door with an armful of grocery bags.

"I got the sprinkles, the chocolate, the marshmallows, the cinnamin, the nutmeg, the jello, the m&ms, the raisins, the oatmeal, and the sugar. Exactly what kind of cookies are these, anyway?"

Rory's eyes sparkled. "Special ones. Trust me."

-

It was great living with Tristan. Well, so far. It had only been a couple days, but Rory couldn't have enjoyed them more. Spending too much time with Dean had been suffovcating, but with Tristan it was perfect. Never a dull moment passed, and she loved sharing old secrets with him.

Sharing a house with him did, however, raise certain questions. What were the sleeping arrangements being the hardest one. Lorelai tried to put him on the couch, but as soon as she'd left he snuck into Rory's room.

"Hey, you," he whispered at her doorway, waiting for an invitation.

"Hey," she replied, and beckoned for him to come in. He closed the door befind her. She sat on her bed and he joined her, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her close for an all consuming kiss. After the tingling faded from her toes, Rory pulled away a little.

"Tris..."

"I'm not," he answered her silent question. "I'll wait for you," he murmered, his lips brushing against hers again. It was no secret that he was more experienced than her, and it had been a matter of some worry for her. His words, however, cleared her mind. She smiled into another kiss, and opened her mouth to his.

* * *

No, none of that. You silly readers. He really is going to have to wait. Sheesh.

* * *

They fell asleep spooning, and when Lorelai went to wisely check on them, she decided to let them sleep. She would talk to Rory in the morning. Better yet, she would talk to Bibleboy. 

-

"Dimples this is horrendous! Blimey it's bloody aweful!" Finn said in distaste as he served another man the 'meat surprise' at the soup kitchen that night. Rory nodded and pulled on her hairnet.

"That's it, I can't do this." he threw down his ladle and opened his phone. "Hello, I'd like an order of 19 cheese pizzas. Soup kitchen at--yes, great." he smiled at Rory.

"I'll leave the cash at the desk. Can we leave now, _please_?"

-

"Wake up, sleeping beauty." Lorelai said to Tristan. Rory had left almost an hour ago, but hadn't woken him. He awoke with a start, and when he saw Lorelai he even had the grace to look guilty.

"I understand that it must be nice, living in the same house with your girlfriend. I also understand that your parents were somewhat less than perceptive. But if you do anything to hurt my daughter, I will find you and hurt you. You'll find I'm much craftier than your folks, and I have the support of an entire town behind me."

Tristan blanched. "Lorelai, I would never hurt Rory. Ever. It--" he searched for a way to explain. "Ever." he finished lamely. Lorelai gave him her patented IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummerAndIKnowWhatYouDidLastNightAndIWillLetOutTheAirInYourTiresIfYouPullThatCrapWithMe glare for another second, and then nodded.

"Let's go get coffee, I'm starved. Ooh, do you think Luke would make me special Birthday pancakes? Would you tell him it's your birthday so he will? Can we take your car?"

-

Friday night dinner, December 24th. Emily Gilmore was in an especially good mood. Her Christmas party plans were perfectly in place for tomorrow night, and Lorelai and Rory had showed up for dinner on time. They all congregated in the lounge for drinks, and chatted idley about frivolous things.

This only lasted a very short twenty minutes.

"Mom, we're not coming to your party tomorrow. Sookie has this thing, and--"

"Absolutely unacceptable! I put a lot into this event, and I will not have you spoil it by embarrassing me!"

"Mom, I made a promise. We're not going. End of Story."

"Well fine then, just abandon me! Next I know you'll be gone altogether like that korrible little DuGrey boy..."

"What?" Rory cut in, breaking her silence. Emily glanced over at her, temporarily distracted from her rampage.

"The DuGrey boy. His parents send him to a perfectly respectable school while they attend ther business, and how does he thank them? He runs away."

"Mom," Rory said in a panicked octave.

"Mom, how did you know this?" Lorelay asked tersely.

"His father is asking right and left, and has even spoken about hiring a private eye. Terribly embarrassing, though, I do hope they find him before he must resort to that."

"Thanks for dinner mom, it was great." Lorelai said. Both Rory and she bolted to the door, and were putting on their coats when Emily caught up to them.

"We haven't had dinner yet! What's _wrong_ with you two tonight?"

"Goodnight, grandma!" Rory said, kissing her on the cheek before the pair disappeared.

Richard came out of his study, ready fo drinks.

"Where did the girls go?" he asked, and Emily threw up her hands and went to the kitchen to yell at someone.

* * *

**Oh my golly jee, was that plot furtherment? I think it was!**

**Not much Finn, I know, but there has to be a balance somewhere, yes? I promise he'll come back. Tell me you love it, tell me you hate it, but really, tell me you love it.**

**Those one's are nice.**

**I usually crave critisism, but you know what? I'm rather stressed this week and so if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. You can be mean next chapter.**

**Asta! **


	11. Grundies is Undies, by the by

"Tristan and Finn are _where_!" Rory sputtered into the phone. The woman told her again. Rory thanked her and slammed down the reciever.

"Well?" Lorelai asked, dry washing her hands in some show of anstiness.

"They rented out an entire five star restaurant for a night and took every homeless person in Hartford to an early Christmas dinner!" Rory had no idea what to feel. Her mind flashed in a different emotion each second.

_Damn Finn! He just didn't want to be at the shelter!_

_Oh, now Tristan won't find out until he get's home..._

_I suppose it's nice that they did that for the homeless,_

_Though for the wrong reasons! Wrongwrongwrong!_

_Holy crap that must have cost an arm and a leg._

_I wonder when they'll come home?_

Neither of them was carrying their cell phone. She fretted and bit her fingernails for hours, eventually having to distract herself with homework. Lorelai went out to take care of the Inn. Each of them submerged in their work, they were able to quell their nervousness, if only by a little.

When Tristan came home Rory leapt up and ran for the door. She ran to Tristan and embraced him, desperately memorizing the exact feeling of his arms, his warmth, his kiss. She clung to him and swore to never forget the feeling. If he was taken away again, she at least had to remember this.

"Well Mary, If I had known what feeding the hungry did for your..." he smirked at her, "stamina, I would have done it sooner." Rory couldn't smile at his jape, she only looked up at him and waited for the strength to say,

"Tristan, your dad. He knows." Holy Crap. No wonder she had been so intense. Tristan was at a loss for words. He stared down at her. That face, those eyes, he couldn't leave that again. He had fallen in love with her the first day he met her, and it had grown in mutual affection every day from then on. She was precious to him now, a treasure in her own right.

Now everything crashed down around his ears. He should have seen this coming. He should have prepared. He couldn't leave her. He wouldnt. Her blue eyes searched his and he kissed her tenderly on the forehead.

"I'll think of something." he reassured her, helplessly trying to convince himself of the same thing.

-----

"Finn!" The woman's voice rang through the hall. He stopped short and turned, wincing in advance. The caretaker at the soup kitchen resembled a very large, very angry pit bull. Currently this pitbull was barelling toward him, weilding a ladle.

"You stop RIGHT THERE you, you rufian! Exactly where do you get off disappearing and taking the entire population of this facility with you!"

Finn shrugged. "Well...this is a bloody bog standard place to spend Chrissy, wot?" The pitbull growled and he apologized quickly. "Blimey, don't blow a hole, I'm sorry. The deadset is, I rather detest this place, and I figured that the mates don't adore it either." She snarled and glared at him. "Fine, then. They can spend New Years forcing down the slop that you---that is...they can spend the New Year together, in this place which has helped them on many a harsh wintery night."

Arline (this is the darling dog's name) made an angry sound deep in her throat. She didn't, however, want to fire one of her few workers, so she left ungraciously without any thanks or apoligies.

Finn strode back to his post, spooning out mashed peas. He instantly noticed a lovely little red head girl, and stopped what he was doing.

"Well allo there doll, what might your name be?" It needed more. He knew it. She looked like she was going to roll her eys and ignore him, and then he added, "I'm new here, and trying to make friends. Just arrived from down under." her face lit up, and he knew he'd nabbed her.

"Oh, maybe I should show you around town sometime." she offered, and he smiled brightly to cover his snicker.

"Maybe you should. After that we can explore your grundie's."

"My what?"

"Grundies. Means coffeehouse." he lied glibely, "Well?"

"Um, I have a boyfriend." she said uncertainly.

"As mates, then?" he asked, and she gave in. Hah! Finn one, nameless boy zilch. _Good God, I'm a horrid little rootrat_, he though happily.

"Excuse me, King?" Finn glanced over at the old man in line. Oh, so he'd lied a little about his name. So what? "I'd like some peas." Finn sighed and got back to work, but he wasn't really as annoyed as he let on. There were definite perks to this community service thing.

-

Tristan tried to stop his hand from shaking, and picked up the phone.

"Hello, international directory, please..."

* * *

**Filler chapter, I know. But fun! Ah, Finn, you have no last name...**

**By the way anyone who can find his last name online gets a proverbial cookie.**

**I think my writing has slowed down. It's more detailed, yes, but slower. I wonder if this is good or bad. Maybe it hasn't, who knows. Maybe my chapters are just getting stupid and short. Advice?  
**

**By the way, a message to the peanut gallery.**

**I love you guys. LOVE YOU! You make my day brighter, and if I didn't think it bordered on psychotic, I would absolutely compose a song in honor of the greatness that is you and your lovely comments.  
**

**I'm also giving public thanks to my little sister, who just made me hot cocoa. **


	12. Apprehension and Introduction

They sat in the living room facing eachother. The air was charged and no one had spoken since their arrival. Between them sat a coffe table, odorned by the telephone. Tristan stared at the phone, and Rory stared at Tristan. His face was pale, and she could have sworn that if they could, his eyes would have bored holes into the plastic phone by now.

The electricity in the room was unnerving, and the tension could have been cut with a knife. Rory tried to look supportive rather than worried. Tristan didn't need to hear her own fears when he was so busy struggling with his own. Neither of them wanted him to leave again. Suddenly Tristan looked up at Rory.

"I won't do it, okay? He ca't make me. If he tries to send me back I'll run away."

"Okay, Tris," Rory said softly. She knew he was only preparing for the difficult call he would inevitable have to make.

They went back to silence.

She could see the emotions leak through his firmly held mask. He was worried, and he was nervous, yes, but those feelings only passed through his eyes momentarily. Mostly he was angry, and sad. Rory understood alienation from one's father, but this took it to the extreme. At least she could talk to Christopher, and they enjoyed eachother's company, as rare as they shared it.

The pair were shocked from their tense reverie when the phone rang. Both of them jumped, and stared at it. While contemplating the consequences of making a call, the thought of someone calling _them_ seemed impossible. It rang again, and Tristan smiled sheepishly. Rory started to laugh, and soon both of them were giggling helplessly at the persistant rings of the phone. Finally, Rory mustered the self control to answer it.

"Hello, is Rudolfo there?" The voice said, and Rory fell into another fit of laughter. Tristan took the phone.

"Hello? Oh. Sorry, wrong number." he hung up and looked up at her.

"Okay, here goes." He dialed the number, and after several minutes of struggling with the international operator, he was put through.

"Hello?" a man's voice came through the line. Tristan cleared his throat and ran his hads through his hair.

"Hi, Dad." there was a long pause.

"Tristan do you know how I found out?" his father asked. Tristan said nothing.

"I got a bill, notifying me that although you were not continuing your education there, the academy required that I pay the bill until the end of the month." Tristan opened his mouth, but then closed it.

"Tristan you will return to Redding within the week or I will be forced to take stronger actions."

"No, Dad, I wont." Tristan finally spoke up. "If you send me there, you can be ure I will be gone again within the week. And this time I wont call you." Threats. He knew this would never work, so he tried logic. "Father regardless of the situation of your location, I need to finish my education at Chilton if I want any chance of going to an Ivy league school."

Mr. DuGrey was very quiet. Tristan could almost see him stroking his beard in thought, and held his tongue. He already knew an emotional appeal wouldn't help his cause, so he just sat there. Rory reached across the coffee table and took his hand.

"Tristan this fantasy of yours is simply not an option. I will be home for the annual new years function in a couple days. We _will_ talk then." The line went dead, but Tristan held the phone to his ear until he heard the dial tone sound again.

"He's coming." Tristan whispered, passing a hand over his eyes. Rory tried to supress it, but her mother's voice chanelled right through her. She wrinkled her nose.

"That's what she said." his eyes widened and an incredulous smile lit up his face. She stepped over the table and sprawled out on top of him. He kissed her.

"You know Mary, I think I've changed you." He smirked.

"Pshah," she scoffed, "Y...I--hmm." He laughed and kissed her again, graciously accepting the victory.

"Oh come on, I'll take you to Lukes."

-

The diner was packed. People filed in and out of the door, and Rory and Tristan were immediately pressed by the thong of busy people.

"That is it!" they heard Luke shout. "Everyone who wants a foot up their ass, stay! Anyone else, get out of my restaurant!" Taylor walked up to the counter.

"Luke, we discussed this. The FLSH needs to meet somewhere. You really should consider joining it, being as you agreed to host the meeting."

"The who?--I did no such thing!" Luke objected indignantly.

"You did, you signed a notice."

"I would have signed anything to get you to leave! You smelled like bathroom cleaner, it was scaring away my customers."

"That was Eau de mistique." Taylor replied, as if it was obvious.

"Out!" Luke thundered, pointing a finger at the door. The crowd slowly filed out fo the diner, among outrages whispers of rudeness. "Rory, hi!" Luke said, once the people parted and he finally spotted her. He set down a steaming cup without any prompting, and Tristan grinned. Rory's addiction was infamous.

"Hello, Tristan," Luke politely acknowledged Rory's boyfriend. Luke hadn't been able to find anything wrong with this kid yet, but he was sure on the look out. If there was some flaw, some discrepancy, he would find it. He was still trying to decide what to think about the whole military school situation. He still hadn't found an excuse not to like the blond boy, but he would. No one was good enough to date Rory.

"Hello, Luke," Tristan said, slapping a five on the table to pay for Rory's coffee. Rory took a happy sip.

"I thought you were going to talk her out of that." Luke grunted at Tristan, indicating Rory and her large mug.

"Hey," Tristan said defensively, "_You_ gave it to her."

"Only because of what Lorelai threatened this morning if I didn't. It involved--never mind. You're too young." Tristan shuddered at what Rory's mom moght have said. Somethings were better off left as secrets. Rory signed in contentment, and turned to look at Tristan, standing behind her. It was this action which led her to her next discovery.

"Finn!" He was sitting at a table across from a red haired girl, sharng a cup of coffee.

"Dimples!" he greeted her, and she walked over. "Hey Trister," he added to Tristan. Tristan nodded.

"So, who's your friend?" He smiled at the girl before responding.

"Not just a friend, love, this is Molly. She stole my heart, so I decided to take her out this fine arvo, and show her the charms of the life she already knew." The girl looked familiar, but Rory couldn't place her.

"Rory Gilmore, right? We were in the same history class when you went to Stars Hollow High. Realization washed over Rory and she shook the girls hand.

"Oh yeah, We had Silverman. Aweful." Molly smiled and Rory and Tristan were about to join the pair, but were rudely interrupted.

"Well, I see you've all met." I sulky voice sounded behind the group, accomompanied by the sound of the diner door slamming shut. Dean walked up to the group, and they all had different reactions.

Tristan unconsiously put his arm around Rory's waist. Well, not that unconsiously. She, however, didn't seem tonotice his action, as she was too busy looking at the floor. She still felt guilty about breaking things off sometimes, even though she knew it wasn't justified.

Finn's brow curved in confusion, and somehow, sarcasm. He was sizing up this new human in his sights, and was rather smug about the results. He was, however, a little bit sullen when Molly stood up.

"Hey, Dean," she smiled, and went over to give him a kiss. Finn's eyes narrowed. Now that he'd seen 'the boyfriend,' he knew he could never pursue matters with Molly. He supressed a sigh of disa;pointment. If he had to go down, he would go down with pride an--oh, they were still talking,

"Hi Dean," Rory said in response to his greeting. Her voice was quiet, and she looked at him after a moment of silence. He looked the same as he'd always had, though now it didn't fill her with any wort of emotion; he was just a guy. She felt Tristan's harm tighten slightly around her waist. Dean saw too, becuase he nodded to him.

"Gatsby,"

"Bag boy," Tristan replied, trying not to enjoy too much, the sight of Dean's nostrils flaring in anger. He turned to Finn.

"Who are you?" he asked bluntly, and Finn fixed him with a cold glare.

"My friends call me Finn." he suggested, but Dean didn't take the hint.

"Yeah? And what do I call you?"

"You don't." Finn retorted waspishly. "I don't generally consort with wackers, and you seem to bejust thelair sort. It's not like I was pashing Molls here, so why don't you just say hooloo, you bloody froot loop." No one had any idea what he'd just said, but it certainly made Finn feel a whole lot better. Dean just grunted and left.

"Come on, Molly." he said, not looking back. Molly shrugged.

"It was really nice to meet you guys." she said, and soon she was out of sight as well.

"Ex bo?" Finn asked Rory, and she nodded. Finn's face however, brightened in a grin from ear to ear. "Nice choice." she shot him a look, but he ignored it and leaned back in his seat, still smiling.

* * *

**Lot's of things, lots and lot's of things.**

**No spoilers though, and I suppose I own the Molly character. So, things happened, sort of progressed, and we'll see what happens. I wish I knew how to spell Kapeesh.**

**So I went to Yale model congress this weekend (the reason for my shameful lack of updates) becuase I am a dork and love it, and the other worldly level of the guys in college have inspired me to get into one.**

**Thus I will now leave and write more essays.**

**Or I'll download more music. I ighly recomend the thermals. An endless supply? GREAT song.**

**Asta**


	13. Short & Sweet

**

* * *

You know what would be just great? If We reached 100 reviews by the end of this story. If you think about it, we're only 37 reviews away...and there's still some left to go...**

**

* * *

**

"No no, I insist." Emily said firmly, oblivious to Rory's distress. "You and your mother certainly may have ducked out of Christmas with your grandparents, but new years is another matter altogether. This is the first year it will be held at our house, and I want to make a good impression."

"That might not be so easy," Rory said, half to herself. Emily had no idea that Tristan and Rory were dating, it had never come up. Lorelai had given her to following advice early in hers and Tristan's relationship, and she had followed it to the letter:

_"Kid, if you learn one thing from me, it will be not to worry about break ups because there are plenty of fish in the sea, so long as you don't introduce them to the shark."_

_"The shark?"_

_"You are one fourth shark, girlie. Beware."_

She hadn't really thought about telling Emily about her and Tristan, and after he left for military school she had tried to minimize the time she spent thinking about him. The last thing she needed was to spend every friday night enduring pity from her grandparents.

Now, however, telling Emily would be even harder. She had already voiced her oppinion that he was a 'horrible boy,' and Tristan's father and him were sure to make a scene at the new years function. Rory hadn't realized that is would be the same function until Emily had called her, and now she had no idea what to do.

"Okay, grandma, I'll talk to you later, okay?" she hung up the phone. Now what?

-

"No, Dean, I swear it was nothing. It was coffee." Dean shook his head adamantly.

"Coffee is a pre-date. How could you, Molly?"

"Dean, it meant nothing! I was trying to make friends with a person from my community service kitchen. It, meant, nothing." She said the last few words slowly, in exasperation. They had been having the same arguement since that meeting in the diner, and she was getting sick of it. She flipped her copper hair and stared at him imperously. "Why don't you trust me?" This was the last card up her sleeve. If this didn't work, she'd go insane.

"I do trust you, I just don't trust him. Them. I don't know." Her eyes softened and she put a hand on his cheek.

"_You're_ my boyfriend. Okay?" he nodded and looked away, and she sighed in resignation. She knew he was hurting and all, but sometimes she just wished ge would _get over _whatever happened with his last girlfriend.

"Okay...just...don't do it again?" Wait. What?

"Wait. What? Finn works where I do, and Rory and Tristan seem like fine people. I don't have to be their best friend or anything, but you are _not_ forbidding me from seeing anyone."

"It's a betrayal! She's my ex girlfriend. He stole her away from me. And Finn--"

"--Oh, so you lied? You said you were over her, Dean!" he stopped midsentence. "Look, it's okay if you're not, but I'm not going to hang on while you pine over some other girl."

"Molly I just need to figure some things out." he said lamely. That was it. She was done hearing the same words echoed over and over through lips numb from lying. She picked up her purse and stood up.

"Fine. Call me when you do." she dropped ten bucks on the table and stormed out. She wasn't even dissappointed, just mad. Her entire experience with Dean had been a mistake, a month of fretting over something which was in no way her problem.

-

Finn locked up the doors of the kitchen, taking his first bracing breath of the cold air. Ugh, December. He sighed dejectedly and turned face to face with Molly. She looked adorable, with her red hair poking out of a pom-pommed hat, and her nose pink with the temperature.

"Hey, I was wondering. I've had a really bad night, and I just want to have a good time. You seem like the sort of fellow who would know how." She smiled hopefully.

"What kind of good time?" he asked carefully, putting his keys in his pocket.

"I'm celebrating the first taste of freedom in months!" she smiled wide and lifted her arms in the air as if she were smiling.

"Hmm, and will bag boy try to flay me for it? I'm rather attatched to my skin." she laughed, her voice not matching her appearance. She looked like a snow bunny, but her voice was far more sultry than that. It was throaty and inviting, and Finn knew what a tone like that implied.

"I swear I won't remember in the morning." she promised archly, and he put an arm around her.

"Not if I have any say in the matter," he said in outrage. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the expression, 'drunk as a monkey?'

* * *

**I hope you guys like where this is going, and I hope you guys like it enough to COMMENT.**

**Just to COMMENT on Molly: I don't think she'll be a permanent character, just a...temp sort of thing. She'd just around to I can further my own silly ends. No, don't apologise, that was a COMMEN T hing to think, that I was sticking myself in the book. Cause really I'm not. I'm brown haired and my voice isn't s-s-s-sexy, it's squeaky. Not saying I dislike that, my insecurities lie else where. I'm just saying this cause I hate when people put themselves into these things. It's a freaking story, not 'let's play put me in TV.'**

**Sorry for the rant, and the COMMENTs were supposed to be ironically blatant and subliminal at the same time.**

**Huh, that soo didn't work.**

**COMMENT! **


	14. They should make a Bullwinkle Barbie

Rory had always loved this time of year. Everything felt warm. Not like the summer, when the air was hot, but, happy-warm. All the houses were cozy, and people wore wool scarves and sewaters. There was always a fire in Sookie's fireplace, and her house was always decorated with Christmas lights.

That isn't saying much, of course. The lights were the only form of decorations to be found in the house, so every holiday was hailed with red and green lights. It was a matter of great confusion to the trick or treaters. However, that wasn't the point. People were also different this time of year. Even the harsh proffessors at Chilton were filled with an unedning happiness. Honestly, when did you hear, "Oh, what the hell, it's Groundhog day, no homework,"?

She understood why the merriment failed to reach Tristan, but still did all she could to cheer him up. Christmas was meant to be filled with peppermint mochas and presents, not worry and stress.

No one could embodie this better than Finn himself, who on Christmas eve, the last Friday before vacation, came to school in a Santa suit.

"Finn! I demand that you remove that improper attire this instant!" Mrs. Sprind ordered.

"If you insist," Finn sighed, setting down his book bag, "Though it's might cruel of you to strip me down to me knickers on Chrissie's eve." The teacher blanched.

"Finn, don't you dare remove that rediculous outfit!" she called shrilly, sending the class into fits of laughter.

"Oh, you like that?" Finn asked the giggling crowd, "Merry Chrissie! Peppermint sticks for everyone!" he tossed out a handfull of candy canes, and sat down.

-

Rory had already made her gift for Tristan. She had agonized for days asking herself, "What do you get someone who has everything?" and then it hit her. She hadn't even tried wrapping it this time, this time simply finding a very tall, very thin bag. Very tall. She marched proudly in to school with it, glad that she had insisted on exchanging gifts at school.

"A _pogo stick_?" he asked incredulously when he pulled it from the bag. His face was priceless, as she had known it would be. Which is why she brought her camera. She snapped a picture of his flabergasted expression and gleefully awaited her own gift.

"I have to carry this around school all day, you know." he said, and she nodded proudly.

His gift for her came in a small velvet box. It was a beautiful white gold ring, inlade with a single black pearl. Rory knew better than to decline the outrageous gift.

"Thank you, Tristan," she said softly, a smile breaking free of numb lips.

"I figured a daimond wasn't special enough for you. This fit better." she kissed him soundly.

-

When the troup reached Rory's house (the obvious destination for a Christmas sleep over, duh) they heard a crash and a muffled cry. They rushed inside to see Lorelai under the Christmas tree, all sprawled out on the ground.

"Little help?" Lorelai asked impatiently. Tristan and Finn quickly relieved her of the Tree, easilty righting it. She glared at them.

"Well, it was a lot harder alone." she assured them. They shared a smile. The tree was barely four feet tall, either one of them could have lifted it alone.

"Decorations?" Rory asked, diverting her mother's attention from the tree.

Finn and Tristan were delighted to discover that decorations at the Gilmore house were far from ordinary. They consisted of at least thirty barbie dolls, with the hair tied into a loop to fit over the branches.

"Merry Christmas indeed," Finn laughed, putting prom barbie at the top of the tree.

"What?" Lorelai asked defensively, "you don't like malibou barbie?"

"Lolalai, dear, I love malibou barbie."

-

"Why do you leave cookies under the tree?" Tristan asked curiously.

"So we'll have something tp eat tonight!" Lane's voice entered with her and she closed the door. Rory rushed to hig her friend.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, bibleboy," Lane said.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii, Lane," he responded. Finn popped into the room. He sauntered over to Lane, and got down on one knee.

"Doll, I know you haven't had the pleasure of my lips, as of yet, but I figured I'd make it a holiday prezzie. Now, hows about?" Lane wrinkled her nose at him and smirked.

"Dream on, crocodile hunter."

"Oh!" he faked being shot, falling on the ground. "Oh, woe is myself, look, look now. Shakespear himself would be at a loss for words! Here lies a man, smitten and smote, and frightfully unrequited..."

"Oh, stop being such a baby." Rory japed lightly.

"Ahah!" Lorelai entered with the night's ingredients. "Willie Wonka, the Three stoodges, and the greatest cartoon history lesson of our time, Rocky and Bullwinkle."

"Come again?" Finn asked.

"Oh, come on, it covers everything! The Cold war; Boris and Natasha. Canadians; Dudley DoRight. Plus those fairy tales are right on." Lorelai explained.

"I'll try anything for you, my love," Finn gazed comically adoringly into Lane's eyes, and she blushed. Then she smacked herself for clushing. Then she looked away.

"Hey mom, I thought you were spending the night at Sookies." Rory inquired.

"Yeah, I am, though I sure will miss Rocky and Bullwinkle. Sigh...

...okay see ya, and stay out of my liquor cabinet!"

"You don't have one!"

"Good answer, kid. See ya!"

They spent the night watching the movies and pigging out on spiced cider, marshmallows, cookies, cake, pizza, and eggnog. Rory and Tristan retired to her room shortly after Finn and Lane dozed off. It was a perfect night.

* * *

**So, I have no idea whether or not Lorelai has aliquor cabinet or not, and I don't think you do either, so shh.**

**I already have the new years eve bit done, though I am still editing it. Besides, I would love to hear your comments on this dovelopement before adding another one.**

**College app-ing is actually going okay, and I'll definitely be finished by the 30th. After that, the story writing will know no bounds! I'm thinking of starting a prison break one after this. Any mutual watchers?**


	15. Emily Gilmore: Ice Queen Extravagant

This was the sort of thing that had to be done in person. One doesn't just call on the phone, saying, "Hello Grandma, yes, I'm fine, oh by the way, I've had a steady boyfriend for the past eleven months. Oh, and you hate him already."

No, that would just never do. Instead, Rory had compiled a laundry list of subliminal messages to send her grandmother. She would arrive wearing her Chilton uniform. This had been selected for two reasons. One being that Emily liked when Rory wore blue, and another being that Chilton was a prominent reminder that Rory was a model child.

She wore the locket her grandmother had bought for her last birthday, and she wore her hair back in a french braid. Emily used to braid her hair for her when she was small. These were all little things, hopefully not to obvious. A recognized psychological ploy can do more harm than good.

She arrived at the door and rang the bell once, only once. She knew how Emily hated when people rang over and over. Several moments later, a maid came to the door and took her coat. She was new; Emily must have already fired to last one. Too bad, too, becuase Melinda had only worked for a couple days, and Rory liked her.

"Hello there, I'm Rory," she introduced herself to the new girl. The maid have her a skittish glance and fled to the kitchen. Rory cautiously called into the mansion. "Grandma?" Emily's head popped out from the solace.

"Rory? What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you. It's important."

"Well alright then, come into the parlor and we'll have something to eat. It's about tea time anyways. Lola!" The maid appeared and Emily snapped out an order. "Tea. And muffins. Yes of course fresh, where so you think I live? This isn't the ghetto, you know." The maid dematerialized and Emily sniffed. "What did you want to tell me, Rory?"

"Well..." suddenly she found herself at a loss for words. How was she supposed to start this? "I haven't been completely open with you. I have a boyfriend."

"Oh, marvelous! I always knew you would get over that small town kid, Ken."

"Dean."

"Ph, it doesn't matter. Who is this new gentleman?"

"We've sort of been dating for a while now." Emily paused to take a sip and looked at Rory expectantly. "Well..." she pressed on, "for a long time. Almost a year now." Emily choked.

"And you never thought it important to tell me?" she was outraged.

"It just never came up." Emily was quiet for a long moment, the deafening silence seeming to last forever.

"Who is this young man?" Rory squirmed a little in her seat.

"Tristan Dugrey." she mumbled, and Emily went pale as a sheet. Rory tried to improve the situation.

"Military school was just a mistake, he really belongs at Chilton, and He's really great, he's been nothing but a gentleman to me! And he's really great with everyone at home. Mom loves him, Luke likes him, and everything. He...he gets good grades..." she searched for something more to add, but was interrupted.

"Rory why are you telling me this now?" the question cut straight to the next point.

"Well, as you know, the new years eve function is tonight, and mom and I are coming, and so is he." Emily said nothing. "He's going to meet with his father. Mr. DuGrey will also be there." still nothing. "And...well...I..." she floundered with nothing to say. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, her grandmother looked up from her tea.

"I'll see you tomorrow night, then." she said coldly, and left the room. After a minute Lola came and cleaned up the tea.

-

"Aweful." she told Tristan, and he kissed her on the head.

"Don't worry Mary, I'll win her over tonight. I'll be so civil she'll cry tears of pure joy." he said soothingly, and her misty eyes grew serious. The blue became intense, and her voice deadly soft.

"Don't call me that tonight, Tris. Nothing. No Mary, no Sweety, no anything. Okay?" he nodded, and kissed her on the lips.

"Promise me." she said, and he kissed her again.

"I'll be good. Alright? Let's go get ready."

-

The car ride over was anything but peaceful. Lorelai drove them over, and she and Finn sat in the front seat discussing the ups and downs of Madonna. The debate grea quite heated when Finn said he though the kiss with Brittany Spears was planned. Tristan sat with Rory in the back, holding her hand. She wore a crushed velvet champagne colored dress, with black lace trimming the bodice and hem. Small earrings sparkled, and her hair was worn in solf pleats. When Tristan first saw her exit her room like that, it nerarly took his breath away.

The back seat of the car was, in a word, awkward. Rory tried to reassure Tristan that things would be okay with his dad, and Tristan tried to act like he wasn't worrying. He ran his hand through his hair, fretting over the future of the night.

-

"Rory, hello." Emily greeted the group warmly, shaking Tristan and Finn's hand when they entered the room. The party was in full motion, with soft music, and the occasional titter of a gossiping society member. The air smelled of spiked eggnog and vanilla.

"Tristan DuGrey," Tristan said as he shook Rory's grandmother's hand. She smiled at him politely.

"Why hello there, so, I finally get a chance to meet the boy I've heard _so_ much about," she said. Rory frowned at the barely veiled jab. Lorelai stepped in.

"Hey, mom, have you met Finn? He's also a student at Chilton." Emily nodded to him, and spoke through a fake plastered smile.

"So, how long have _you_ been dating my daughter?" she asked.

"Mom," Lorelai reprimanded sharple. Emily turned on her heel and left the group to their own devices. They mingle for a time, Finn quickly finding a girl to escort around, and Rory staying by Tristan's side.

The dive back into the world he grew up in was bracing. Tristan greeted people who he had known his entire life, yet they treated him like a complete stranger now. Apparently they already knew about his absense from the acadamy. Remaining civil whilst answering questions about his experience there was one of the hardest things he'd ever done in his life.

Was is aweful? Did you run every morning? How were your grades? And they just let you back into Chilton, no questions asked? Do you know what I would have to do to enroll in my son? How many badges did you win? The questions never seemed to end. He finally excused himself and Rory to to find refreshments.

"Worse than you thought?" Rory asked.

"No, at least no one has outwardly called me an embarassment yet. I guess that means I'm still good." Rory reached up on her tip toes and kissed him quickly. He smiled and she handed him a glass.

"So, do you want to toast?" she asked, and the blood drained from his face. "Tris?" he wasn't even looking at her anymore, his eyes searched behind her. She stole a glance and saw a man in a tuxedo. He had graying blond hair, and a rigid posture. He was walking slowly and purposefully toward them.

"Do you want me to stay?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"No, I need to talk to him on my own."

"Do you want a code signal?"

"What?" his eyes flickered to her and then back to his father, still across the room.

"I'll watch you from over there, and when you pull on your ear, I'll come get you. Or cause a diversion. Or get my mom to. Or--"

"Hi dad," Tristan said, wishing his voice was stronger than it sounded. Rory looked behind her to the figure who had just arrived. She flashed him a polite smile, and moved away from the pair. From across the room she could still see him. Both he and his father were speaking rapidly, their voices hushed and their smiled fixed firmly in place. If she hadn't known better, Rory would have thought they were just exchanging pleasentries.

"Allo, love," Finn came up behind her. She kept her eyes on Tristan.

"Hey, Finn," she said absently.

"Ah," his eyes followed hers to see Tristan and his dad. "They're fighting."

"How can you tell?"

"Look. They aren't looking at eachother. Theyre looking at everything they can except eachother, and still smiling like it's the happiest day of theit lives." he sipped his drink.

"Where did your date go?"

"Home. It seems I can hold my liquor far better than she, and her mother took her home to avoid embarassment." Rory nodded.

"Hey what do we do if the lad needs saving?" he asked intuitively. Rory shrugged.

"I suppose I could break out in song," he mused, earning him a small smile on her part.

"Oh yes, becuase grandma would love that." Rory smiled wider, imagining Emily's face. The pair waited idly.

Tristan never tugged on his ear.

What happened next was far more exciting.

* * *

**See now, I actually have to make it far more exciting.**

**Never fear, I have a plan. Sort of. A vague, fuzzy little plan. I think it's about time to end this thing, so, a couple chapters will probably do it.**

** 18 comments until we reach lucker number 100...**

**Maybe I'll write afic where Lane's bf gets the ever loving crap beat out of him. THEN WHAT, YOU HORRIBLE BOY?**

**Sorry, frustrations of the latest episode showing through...**

**Seriously though.**

**Ugh.**

**Comment! **


	16. Yeah

"Hey, dad," Tristan greeted, fixing a polite smile firmly in place.

"Tristan, what in God's name is the matter with you?" His father's voice was quiet, polite, deceptively friendly. He spoke from behind a smile equally as fake as Tristans.

"Why father dearest, whatever do you mean?" he asked sarcastically. His father glared at him. "I don't know, maybe I just got tired of being thrown around from place to place." he said finally.

"At the expense of my reputation? I raised you better than that."

"Actually, you didn't raise me. What does it matter where I stay when you leave for business?"

"It matters that you do as I say, when I say."

They each paused and took a sip from their reflective glasses. Tristan glanced idly around at the party. People were laughing, talking, dancing. He shifted his feet impatiently.

"I've kept my grades up in your absense," he informed his father curtly, and the older man sniffed.

"Disobeying me successfully is still disobeying me. I will not have it."

"Well, it's too late now, isn't it?"

"Who exactly undermined my authority and signed you out?"

"A friend." Tristan answered ambiguously. He was not about to betray Lorelai to his father, after what she had done for him.

"Well, I shall see to it that no one will do it again. I have arranged a meeting with the comadant at Redding. The mistake will not be repeated."

"You shouldn't have gone to the trouble. I'm not going back."

Mr. DuGrey frowned. "Of course you're going back. You're going back and will remain there until graduation, when you will go to Stanford."

"I wanted to go to Harvard," Tristan protested through his smile.

"You will go to Stanford, and will not return home for the holidays until people have sufficiently forgotten what an embarassment you are." he hissed through clenched teeth.

They were silent for a moment, the air tense.

"I'm not going back." Tristan restated.

"Boy, what makes you think you have a choice in the matter?" His father's voice raised slightly. Tristan tried a wheedling approach. Perhaps his father would do the right thing.

"Dad...please? I belong at Chilton. I love it there, and I love this girl--"

"I don't want to hear about your sluts, Tristan."

"No!" Tristan objected, "This one is different. She's...I am actually in love with her. We've lasted almost a year so far, and--"

"Tristan, you will go to Redding whether you like it or not! I don't care why you want to stay, I am your father! You will do as I say and show some respect!" the order ended at a shout, but by now the two were beyond caring what other people saw.

"I'm not going back!" Tristan shouted, and his father grabbed his arm. He gripped it tightly and Tristan dropped his glass. Pink champagne stained the white carpet. Mr. DuGrey twisted his son's arm painfully, and Tristan gasped sharply. He stared up at his father in astonishment, then anger. Rage. Blinding fury blurred his vision, and he wrenched his arm back, unturning it so that now his father's arm was twisted.

"I am not 12 years old anymore, dad," he said, his voice deadly soft. "I told you then that if you ever hit me again, I would call the cops. It's been a while since then, hasn't it?" his father's face was red with anger and embarassment, for now everyone at the party had stopped their invididual festivities, and were ogling the spectacle.

"Let go of my this instant." his father ordered. He tried to overpower his son, but it was no use. Tristan had become stronger than his father, something the man had never anticipated. Tristan had no words. He held his father's arm, empty of ideas as to what to do next. He stared at his father, trying and failing to hold back the tears forming in his eyes.

"Tristan," her voice came from behind him, and Rory lightly touched his arm. He loosened the grip on his father's wrist and the man pulled it away roughly. He stared at his son another moment, and then stormed from the party.

-

Tristan leaned back against the wall. Rory had helped him escape the balefull eyes of the party, and they stood now by the poolhouse. He had regained his composure, had wiped his tears away. Now he leaned his head back against the white brick surface and closed his eyes. What had just happened?

"Hey, it'll be okay, okay?" Rory said near his ear. He opened his eyes and gazed into hers.

"I know." he said. He really did. He had finally stood up to his father, for real. Years of fear and opression crashed down and surprisingly, he felt freer than he had in months.

Rory kissed his lower lip, and felt when he grinned.

"Did you see the look on his face?" he smiled wider, and she let out a small laugh. She kissed him deeper and he responded. She opened her mouth to him and laced her fingers in his tousled hair. Suddenly they weren't thinking about his father anymore.

"Tristan," she said against his mouth.

"Yeah?"

"There's a bed in the pool house." he paused and pulled away, giving her a measured look.

"Yeah?" he asked, giving new meaning to the word. She rubbed her nose against his affectionately.

"Yeah." His face lit up in a helpless smile, and he kissed her again. The pair slipped into the pool house.

* * *

**Woo, wee. Yup. I don't know how far to take that, do you people really need the details? Or is it more effective and sweeter to leave it as is? I mean, there will definitely be a tying off chapter, maybe two, probably one.**

**Thoughts? Suggestions? It's all up to you guys how far this goes, as long as it doesn't screw with my plot. Reviews are better than chocolate! Feed the animal!  
**


	17. The end

Rory Gilmore knew she would remember everything about the events in her grandmother's poolhouse. She would remember the way Tristan took his time, always waiting to see if she was ready for the enxt step. She would remember the way he knew exactly what to do, but instead of making her feel awkward, he made her feel as if she did too. She would remember the way he told her he loved her, and asked her one last time if she was ready before the couple joined.

Sex wasn't scary with him, as she had always imagined it would be.

"Does this mean I'm not a mary anymore?" she asked him with a small laugh. The pair were lying on the bed, bodies intertwined from the previous passion. He reached over and kissed her forehead.

"This means you're my mary." he smiled, and she sighed in contentment.

-

"Good, Lord, I think I just had a small stroke!" Finn exclamed, after barging into the room and swifly averting his eyes.

"Finn what are you doing here!" Rory half skrieked, covering herself with a blanket. Then she noticed the girl who's hand he was holding. "You were going to have sex in my grandparents house!" she sheepishly omited that she had just done the same thing.

"I--but we--you..." he sighed. "Sorry love," he addresed the girl. She let out a n exasperated breath and left the house. Finn shifted his feet a moment longer. "So Tris, mate, oes she really have the dimples?" he asked slyly. Though his back was turned, Tristan knew a grin covered his entire face.

"Out!" Rory threw a pillow at him.

"Alright, I'm going, I'm going!" he put his hands in the air and left the room. Upon leaving the poolhuse, he closed the door behind him.

"Mrs. Gilmore," he said, "Um, were you going in there?"

"I'm looking for my granddaughter. She needs to help me see the guests out. The party is over."

"Well she's certainly not in there," Finn eyed the elderly woman. "Why do you need her?" Emily shifted her feet uncomfortably.

"I wanted to...apologise," she cchewed out the word guiltily, "I made some preconcieved judgements about the DuGrey boy, and they were misplaced." she smiled a little. "Every woman in that house is a bleeding heart just waiting to comfort him, and our Rory already knew. She always was an excellent judge of character, she get's that from our side of the family."

Finn nodded and tried to look like he believed her. Then he grew serious for real.

"She glows when she's around him, you know." he observed quietly. Emily gave him an appraising glance. The aussie forged on, warming to his point. "They fit eachother, if I may say so." _That's what she said_ he sang unconsiously in his head. "Perhaps it's best to accept this guy at face value, be on her side."

"Are you presuming to tell me how to handle my own affairs?"

"Ma'ame, I--"

"Don't. You're right. Now if I could only find her..." Finn took her arm and led her awy from the occupied pool house.

-

One week later, Friday night dinner. Tristan now accompanied the Gilmore girls, and sat next to Rory, of course. It had been both amazing and strange to dwell in the same house for a week. It seemed Lorelai knew that her daughter was nolonger innocent, and went to special lengths to keep the pair apart at night. Once Tristan came to Rory's door only to find a lightly snoring Sookie posted in front of it, wielding a cheese grater.

Emily treated him now with a reserved approval, and Richard had never been anything less than the soul of courtasy. The main course was a flawless roast in caper and wine sauce. The majority of the meal was quiet, but for the respective mmmmm's and aaaaaah's from the diners. As the dish was carried away and the family awaited dessert, Emily finally spoke up.

"Tristan, I've been tallking quite a bit with your friend Finn." Tristan raised an eyebrow at Rory.

"Oh?"

"It seems that he could do with a housemate." Tristan almost choked on his drink.

"Well you don't expect to continue living at my daughter's house," Emily said. Lorelai shrugged.

"Sookie could do with a good night's sleep, too. She hasn't had any ass in over a week." This time, it was Emily who choked.

"I beg your pardon, Lorelai, control your tongue. We have a guest." Lorelai made a face.

"When he remembers that damn toilet seat, I'll hold my tongue." Emily gave up.

"Well?" she directed at Tristan, who was speaking in hushed tones to Rory. He looked up and smiled.

"Mrs. Gilmore, i would love to move in with Finn."

-

Dean became manager of Doose's market when Taylor retired. He met and married a girl named Lindsay, who snapped some sense into him and wouldn't take his crap. He's over Rory now, and revelling in his small town satisfaction.

Molly graduated valedictorian of Stars Hollow high, though skipped college. She is a high fashion model in Japan.

Finn did the Chilton thing, did the Yale thing, and liked it all so much, he never left. After changing majors every semester end, he successfully attended Yale for 19 years before he was thrown out. This was not enough to keep him away, though. Two months after his expulsion, he returned. As a proffessor.

Rory and Tristan graduated Yale together. Though Paris was valedictorian, the couple graduated with numerous job offers, which they turned down. They spent a year travelling Europe together, before returning and accepting their respective jobs. Now Rory is a top journalist for the New York Times, and Tristan has opened his own Law office. Rory is expecting a child. She's telling Tristan tonight.

Lorelai already knows.

* * *

**Le fin**

**100 comments! I did a little happy dance just for you guys. You rock.**

**Next story, maybe a PB fic?**

**I don't know but it wont come until after december 15th, because I need to focus on my Stanford application, no distractions.**

**Asta! **


End file.
